HOMILY VI.] HOMILIES ON EPHES1ANS. 77 themselves, "as it hath now been revealed unto His holy Apostles and Prophets in the Spirit." For reflect. Peter, had he not been instructed by the Spirit, never would have gone to the Gentiles. For hear what he says, " Then hath God given unto them the Holy Ghost, as well as unto us." (Acts x : 47.) That it was by the Spirit that God chose that they should receive the grace. The Prophets then spoke, yet they knew it not thus perfectly ; so far from it, that not even did the Apostles, after they had heard it. So far did it surpass all human calculation, and the common expectation. Ver. 6. " That the Gentiles are fellow-heirs, and fellow-members of the body and fellow- partakers." x What is this; "fellow-heirs, and fellow-par takers of the promise, and fellow-members of the body?" This last is the great thing, that they should be one body ; this exceeding close ness of relation to Him. For that they were to be called indeed, that they knew, but that it was so great, as yet they knew not. This there fore he calls the mystery. " Of the promise." The Israelites were partakers, and the Gentiles also were fellow-partakers of the promise of God. "In Christ Jesus through the Gospel." That is, by His being sent unto them also, and by their believing ; for it is not said they are fellow-heirs simply, but "through the Gos pel." However, this indeed, is nothing so great, it is in fact a small thing, and it discloses to us another and greater thing, that not only men knew not this, but that neither Angels norArch angels, nor any other created power, knew it. For it was a mystery, and was not revealed. "That ye can perceive," he saith, " my under standing." This alludes, perhaps, to what he said to them in the Acts, that he had some knowledge that the Gentiles also were called. This, he says, is his own knowledge, "the knowledge of the mystery," which he had men tioned, viz., " that Christ will in Himself make of the twain one new man." For by revela tion he was instructed, both he and Peter, that they must not spurn the Gentiles; and this he states in his defence. Ver. 7. "Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of that grace ofGod which was given me according to the working of His power." He had said, "I am a prisoner; " but now again he says, that all is of God, as he says, "according to the gift of His grace;" for 1 [" Fellow-heirs (<ri>yicAT)poidna) denotes the joint possession with the believing Jews of the eternal Messianic bliss." Meyer. " The following words (avaaiana. icot trvft.^eTO\a}, which seem to have been coined by the apostle, are well rendered by R. V., fellow-members of the body, and fellow-partakers, and bring out more fully the relation of the fellow-heirs to each other." Kiddle. G. A.] according to the power of the gift is the dignityof this privilege. But the gift would not have been enough, had it not also implanted in him power. MORAL. For a work indeed itwas of power, of mighty power, and such as no human diligence was equal to. For he brought three qualifications to the preaching of the word, a zeal fervent and venturous, a soul ready to undergo any possible hardship, and knowledgeand wisdom combined. For his love of enterprise, his blamelessness of life, had availed nothing, had he not also re ceived the power of the Spirit. And look at it as seen first in himself, or rather hear his own words. " That our ministration be not blamed." (2 Cor. vi: 3.) And again, " For our exhorta tion, is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile, nor acloke ofcovetousness. " (i Thes. ii : 3, 5.) Thus thou hast seen his blamelessness. And again, "For we take thought for things honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men." (2 Cor. viii : 21.) Then again, besides these; "I protest by that glorying in you which I have in ChristJesus our Lord, I die daily." (i Cor. xv: 31.) And again ; " Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution? " (Rom. viii: 35.) And again; "In much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in dis tresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in watch- ings." (2 Cor. vi : 4, 5.) Then again, his prudence and management; "To the Jews I became as a Jew, to them that are without law as without law, to them that are under the law as under the law." (i Cor. ix : 20.) He shaves his head also, (Acts, xxi : 24-26.) and does numberless things of the sort. But the crown of all is in the power of the Holy Ghost. "For I will not dare to speak," saith he, "of any things save those which Christ wrought through me." (Rom. xv : 18.) And again, " For what is there wherein you were made inferior to the rest of the Churches? " (2 Cor. xii : 13.) And again, "For in nothing was I behind the very chiefest Apostles though Iam nothing." (2 Cor. xii: n.) Without these things, the work had been impossible. It was not then by his miracles that men were made believers; no, it was not themiracles that did this, nor was it upon the ground of these that he claimed his high pretension, but upon those other grounds. For a man must be alike irreproachable in conduct, prudent and discreet in his dealings with others, regardless of danger,- and apt to teach. It was by these qualifications that the greater part of his successwas achieved. Where there were these, there was no need of miracles. At least we see he was successful in numberless such cases, quite antecedently to the use of miracles. But, now-a-days, we without